Making Hogwarts Headlines
by galleons
Summary: How did it happen? Because some guilty party was going to pay dearly for this rubbish, according to Professor Snape.
1. Chapter 1: The Exclusive

**Making Hogwarts Headlines**

**Chapter 1: The Exclusive**

**Yup. Another one...but I couldn't help this one as I completed Admirer and felt bummed out about it. **

**Disclaimer: This is for fun and never for profit. I may have to sell my own exclusives to Rita for I have very few galleons...but in this case, I wasn't the one that went to Rita regarding this article about Professor Vector. **

_Hogwarts…a Monday morning…_

Professor Sinistra could never quite get used to her work hours, despite having worked them for several years. But such was the life and schedule of an Astronomy professor at Hogwarts. Classes later in the day and into the night, sleep in a bit and wake up, and it was very much the same until Friday.

Breakfast for her was when most of the staff was having Lunch. But once she awoke she very much enjoyed this time of day. A few hours before work started; she relished the peace and quiet away from the students and a few select hard to deal with staff members because classes were in session or most were in the Great Hall lunching.

She had contacted the kitchens and the house elf had brought her juice, cereal, toast, and a pot of very strong coffee….which, unfortunately, she had not surmised that on this very day, she would need _a lot._

Actually, she wished she had been prepared for what she read very soon after, because she might just have asked the elves for a bottle of firewhiskey….maybe two…so as to give one to her very good friend, Septima Vector.

_Maybe a third to give to Professor Snape…_

_No_, she thought_, nix that_. _A restraining order and protective charms would have to do…_

But for some reason she doubted it was Vector's fault when she had opened up the paper and read and yelled out loud in a screeching voice. "WHAT THE…"

And the panic started to sink in…the horror…the sick feeling in her stomach knowing, really, not knowing what the hell was going on and how the hell it had happened.

Even after she fell off her office chair in shock and rolled into a fetal position on the floor after taking the ceramic cereal bowl, silverware, their contents, the crystal juice glass, the plates, the china coffee pot and cups and saucers and creamer and even the sugar bowl with her as her back and the rest of her met the hard cold stone floor.

And even the ill-omened paper fell with her, which was opened to Rita Skeeter's section.

_By Rita Skeeter. .._She kept re-reading the article, from where she was sprawled out on the floor, but her eyes kept falling on the name of the author.

_Hogwarts Profiles: Professor Septima Vector_

_Three years into her tenureship as Arithmancy professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Septima Emma Arabella Vector is still one busy witch._

_Gilderoy Lockhart feeling she needed some well-deserved recognition, one could say publicity, arranged an interview with her._

_Sitting behind her desk, I studied her, remembering the accounts of many of how fetching she is. If long dark hair with waves falling down your back, eyes that are a dark blue bordering on purple, white skin, and slight dimples when she managed to give rare smiles….well, if that appeals to you…_

_She sits up straight as if she has practiced balancing books on her head all her life. She possesses a soft voice, almost child-like, that can raise to a shrill yell resembling a banshee if need be, as an anonymous caretaker of Hogwarts who chose not to be identified can attest too._

_She was born in Wales to Leslie Vector and Annabelle Langley-Vector. Her brother Geoffrey is said to be just as handsome, to those their looks would appeal to. She has a pet toad that one of my anonymous sources said they overheard a professor remarking that resembled its owner once. She attended the Welsh Wizarding Academy and then interned at Gringotts bank before joining full time upon graduation. She had travelled to some exotic locales to as some consider it "break and enter" for goblins, and left to take the vacant arithmancy chair at Hogwarts upon the retirement of the former professor._

_My profile of Professor Vector is the first of a series that will unfold in the Daily Prophet with several articles dedicated to each professor before I move on to the next._

_Also, I interviewed several of her co-workers who gave a more intimate portrait of Miss Vector; family, friends, Professor Snape, now her boyfriend, and many others from her past and present._

_Join me next week readers for the second installment of my profile on Hogwarts professors, as I profile Professor Vector._

_"**Professor Snape, now her boyfriend…"**_

_Oh, dear Merlin…there had to be some mistake…_

_Either way….Snape would destroy her. _

Professor Sinistra struggled to get up from the floor.


	2. Chapter 2: The Most Important Meal of th

**Making Hogwarts History**

**Chapter 2: The Most Important Meal of the Day**

_Breakfast at Hogwarts… earlier on Monday_

Septima Vector found her seat at the table for breakfast in the Great Hall at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. It was a beautiful morning. The sun was shining outside, as she had looked out the windows walking over to the Great Hall, she had gazed upon bluebells and daffodils and other flowers in full bloom outside. She had gotten up earlier this morning after having a very long night's sleep following a rather hectic week.

She felt good. She walked over from the rather large and ornate doors of the Great Hall's entrance and walked near the wall past tables bursting with students. She eyed the dais where the faculty sat before she reached her seat. Hagrid had three plates in front of him and was helping himself to more food that had appeared from the kitchens. Dumbledore and McGonagall were chatting happily as they cut their food. Sprout was smiling at her, Snape was drinking his tea, lost in thought, his head bowed as he sipped and studied the contents of a potions textbook. Lockhart was signing fan mail and had hardly touched his food. She took her seat, barely noticed, and then smiled at those nearest her as they wished her a good morning. She removed her napkin from its plate and placed it daintily on her lap. She helped herself to some pumpkin juice and then picked up her knife to spear a sausage and a piece of toast. Hagrid had passed down a platter of scrambled eggs that reached him first and was now almost empty. No matter. The elves would have more available in an instant.

She poured some hot coffee from a pot as an owl delivered her mail. The Daily Prophet sent out owls for their subscribers, the school had their own.

She perused the paper. She was the first one to receive hers. Most waited until tea time or a break in the faculty room to look at the piles that accumulated daily there. Dumbledore had school subscriptions, so some of her co-workers did not have subscriptions individually and waited for a break later, or some had theirs delivered to their rooms.

She liked to read her paper in the morning at breakfast. Over the years, it had also developed into a somewhat diversionary tactic so as she could appear to read if Snape _happened _to try to talk to her. It had worked in her favor a few times.

Usually, he ignored the fact that she was reading and carried on despite that fact.

Today, she noticed that Filch received one as did Dumbledore. She supposed the rest were waiting for later or didn't read it every day.

She chewed her food happily and turned the pages of the paper slowly gleaning articles she could read later and finding those of interest to her that were shorter first.

She skipped page 1, which she saw was a lot of Ministry nonsense she could read later. Page 2 contained obituaries and names she didn't know. She took a sip of coffee and then turned in surprise as most of the table had done. Heads stopped their conversations and looked towards Argus Filch who had just spit out coffee all over his paper and himself.

He said nothing but instead of his usual scowl he looked surprised. He cleaned himself up with a white napkin, and he made eye contact with Septima as he attempted to pat his brown and moth-eaten jacket dry. She offered him an apologetic smile and kept reading. She continued to look at her paper and then stopped realizing that Filch was still looking at her confused. She looked up nonchalantly and then noted that he looked over quickly at Snape whose nose was still buried in his textbook. He made no indication that he had noticed Filch spitting out his coffee, besides a delicately raised eyebrow, as he continued to read when others had turned around.

She was used to Filch's surly behavior. She returned to her paper and thought nothing of it. She continued with classifieds, restaurant advertisements, domestic tips, vacation offers, and other general wizarding news. She saw that one of the Weird Sisters was engaged for the tenth time and couldn't wait to rib Aurora Sinistra who fancied him.

She turned the page and then gave an intake of breath. She had unfortunately encountered Rita Skeeter at a Hogwarts gathering at the school, really, Rita had pretty much barged into her office. She could still kick herself for leaving the door open. She had offered a few vague and professional answers and then seen her out. Septima didn't like her or trust her as most at Hogwarts didn't. She had been glad when it was over. But in that few minutes, Rita had never, never told her it was for a profile of Hogwarts professors.

She engrossed herself in the paper. And she could cringe at the digs Rita made about her, but then she saw it:

"…_**.Professor Snape, now her boyfriend….**_

And her stomach must have rammed its way to her head internally, or that was how it felt, because she had _not_ been prepared for this. She closed the paper abruptly and could feel her face turn warm in shock, embarrassment, and other feelings she hadn't quite identified yet.

And then she began to panic. She grabbed at a glass of water, almost spilling her coffee. She hoped that nobody noticed that her hands were shaking. She was going to give it to the count of ten and then look around to see if anyone was reading the paper. She gulped the water down.

She glanced around as calmly as she could and noticed that Lockhart was still answering fan mail as McGongall made a noise in the back of her throat and Snape rolled his eyes and went back to his book. Sprout was getting up to leave for class, Hagrid had finally felt full, and Filch was still looking at her. Only Dumbledore was looking down…at a copy of the Daily Prophet. He must have felt her looking because he looked up and gave her a dazzling smile.

She smiled sheepishly and turned around. She had to leave…_but where to go? _ She had class next. Could she get there before anyone heard? Because she was now convinced that both Filch and the Headmaster knew…_Would they say anything? Filch looked about to burst but…maybe_ it _would be safe?_ Her students were there, and after that class she was free to lock herself in her rooms and never come out.

She didn't think of what she would do later on that evening or even the next day, or the day after that. She only knew she had to get the hell out of the Great hall and _fast_, with Filch and Dumbledore remaining quiet and Snape being none the wiser, because when he found out_….OH…DEAR….MERLIN!_

She felt sick. She rose abruptly and almost took some of what was on the able with her. The tablecloth shifted with her. She steadied the items with her hands while gripping the paper. She folded it quickly two times and shoved it under her arm. "I…I must be going…lots of papers to grade…" She said to nobody in particular, though most had looked over at the sound her chair made and that of the table.

She noticed a few people look at her with scrutiny, or maybe not. Maybe she was just paranoid. Even Snape's head rose once she got up and his expression had registered dismay due to all of the noise she had made. Not that she wasn't used to it, because she was frequently yelling at him when he started in with her which was often. That face was his usual impersonal courtesy, his Hogwarts business-like demeanor, that he sometimes utilized with the staff.

But this time he didn't go back to his paper and neither did the staff. She turned pinker and noticed that she had broken out in a sweat.

"Are you feeling well, dear?" asked Sprout with slight concern.

"Yes, maybe I'm just tired. I think I will go to my office before class."

She moved quickly from the dais, the paper still under her arm, and exited the Great Hall swiftly.

She decided that she would die. She would rather die than address that article and face the school. Although she knew it would not be that easy. It was hard to die at Hogwarts.


	3. Chapter 3: Let Me Call You Sweetheart

**Making Hogwarts Headlines**

**Chapter 3: Let Me Call You Sweetheart**

Professor Vector's rooms…around Lunchtime…

She had owled down to the Great Hall. She would not be joining them for Lunch, regrettably. Unfortunately, a sweeping illness had overtaken her. She reckoned it was a 24-hour flu quite possibly. Septima really just wanted to rest and then resume her classes the next day. She thanked Merlin that she had classes earlier in the morning into right before Lunch and nothing was scheduled for this afternoon. She could not say that for tomorrow. She had a packed schedule of classes on Tuesdays and Wednesday, and Thursday and Friday lightened up a bit too. And maybe she would be better at Dinner.

She thought most likely not.

So she had approximately 5 hours to pull herself together. She tried to convince herself that she was missing Lunch so she had better go to Dinner or the gossip would be worse. She paced her bedroom with a searing urge to contact her friend Aurora in her rooms, but knew that she must be quiet and refrain from contacting anyone in her self-imposed captivity. Knowing Snape, the other party in the article, he probably would be hanging around the AstronomyTower, knowing her, knowing she would go there so her best friend could hear her pour her heart out, what with her embarassment and horror, because she certainly _did not_ tell Rita that Snape was her boyfriend.

Or he would send his malicious sidekick, his owl, Charon to report her coming and goings.

And after all the nonsense they had gotten into over the years, she was sure nobody would believe her. And she knew that at this very moment he was probably keeping tabs on Aurora's rooms or the "Dunderheads' Headquarters" as he liked to call it, to check if she was there or arriving, so he could swoop down and dole out verbal punishment as she had never known before from him. Because if she thought she had irritated or bothered him before, surely this had risen to a level never conceived of before.

So she paced faster, and wrung her hands, and panicked….again.

_5 minutes to seven….really, five minutes until dinner in the Great hall._

She would rush down, avoiding everyone, until she could get to her seat near Aurora. Snape was on the other side but she would just ignore him and play it off like she didn't know what he was talking about.

_Even though the sonofabitch had seen her reading the Daily Prophet that very same morning…_

She found it odd that Aurora hadn't tried to contact her. Maybe she didn't know, she did rise later than the rest due to her hours in the Astronomy Tower. Or she was thinking the very same thoughts that Septima was.

She walked swiftly passed them all; all the staff, all the faces, all the students. From the corner of her eye she saw the hastily turned faces, people that said shy hellos, but continued to look at her once her back was turned, and all of the embarrassed greetings; the perplexed looks like she was mental for being his girlfriend. All lies…and nobody would believe her because the bastard refused to leave her be.

She saw Lockhart bounding over to her and she made an about face and turned and took a longer way to the Great Hall. She would see everybody she passed and bypassed shortly as she took her seat on the dais where professors sat…

And nothing happened. Except a dead silence…Her own, and everybody else's .Even Snape's, who sat down and nodded and ignored her for most of the entire meal.

_Well, that was odd…should be thankful….but he never does that._

The only eyes that met hers were Aurora's who didn't look that great either. She leaned over and mouthed into her ear. "We finish early. 7:45…and we leave before everybody else. We run to the Astronomy Tower and we lock, bar, and utilize protective spells on my doors."

Aurora's voice shook. "And then you tell me what the bloody hell happened…."

Septima nodded.

And so they excused ourselves and went to her rooms. She denied everything and she thought her friend believed her. Shock and fear came to nothing because they had both said nothing to Rita and were clueless. And then they realized they needed to don cloaks and get to a pub imcognito and immeditately. Only firewhiskey would do.

If they went to the Hog's Head who would be there? _Could anyone there even read the Prophet let alone read? _Aurora mused silently.

When they arrived, nobody was there except the entire staff who had probably thought the same thing as them. They desired a place to talk quietly without a crowd. But if they thought they could enter the bar unnoticed in long, dark cloaks, with hoods covering their faces nearly to their mouths, they were wrong. Because, unfortunately, when they crossed the threshold, Aberforth yelled out "There is the lucky lady now. She's taken fellas," as he wiped a dirty glass with a dirty cloth.

There was no turning back.

And the staff called motioned to her. As if remaining silent would not attract attention. As if there were any other people in the pub except them and two warlocks who were hard of hearing. McGongall gave the two women the eye that said to get the hell over there fast. The staff sat with quizzical, weary faces, like they didn't know what hit them. They were shocked too. She noticed Lockhart was not there and realized they probably hadn't told him. They never did. Septima decided to face the storm with her best friend Aurora at her side.

As she moved quickly over to the table, what she didn't expect was another voice, concealed in his black camouflage against the world. He was leaning against a dark, shaded wall, in a corner at the end of the bar that she had to pass on the way to where his co-workers were sitting. The face was expressionless, the eyes burning coals, a black eyebrow rose into a dark crest over the eyes that followed her slowly, missing nothing. As she passed, the thin lips curled and a deep and breathy sarcastic comment snapped out. He crossed his long-sleeved black arms languidly over his chest, his billowing black robes slightly shifting, as he leaned a bit forward to utter just within her hearing…

"Welll, well, if it isn't my alleged sweetheart…."

And Septima Vector prepared to die.


	4. Chapter 4: Unnecessary Use of Force

**Making Hogwarts Headlines**

**Chapter 4: Unnecessary Use of Force**

And I flew past Snape and only slowed to a stop once I reached the table . He did not approach it. He went over to the bar to get another firewhiskey. I was safe, for now.

But the staff said nothing. I sat there for 30 minutes. They were looking at me strangely, but they saw that Snape was trying to be unobtrusive, but was listening in. They wouldn't dare mention anything about his personal life, seemingly behind his back, so they wouldn't address it with me while he was around. We sat in a nerve-inducing silence until the weather was broached.

I think everyone was thanking Merlin that they were able to shake off Lockhart, because he would certainly ask Snape and I point blank, like everyone wanted to, but wouldn't dare.

The staff had been there for a while, and giving up on juicy gossip, and fearing retribution from Snape, they all started to leave in twos. I beseeched then with my eyes to not leave me alone with him. It didn't work. They had "work" to do for the next day, supposedly, in many forms. Minerva was deputy headmistress and had to leave to check in with Dumbledore, though he hadn't summoned her. Sprout also was Head of house like Minerva and Flitwick reminding me also, left with her. Hagrid was too drunk and had to get back as well. He averted my eyes and claimed he had to feed Fang. He never turned down one more drink! Unbelievable!

I wanted to ask him if we could round up Rita for the feeding, but didn't.

Aurora and I decided we would leave too. We got up and tried to walk briskly past Snape's back. He turned in an instant. His bastard sense must have kicked in.

"Not so fast, Vector," his voice was a sinister caress. "I wish to have a word with you. SInistra, good evening." He looked at her dismissively.

"I am not leaving her alone." She said bravely at least, even if she did not look it.

"I think you will. I need to speak to her. It won't be long. Why not wait for her outside? I hear Lockhart has made his way down to this village."

He was _good._ He knew she adored Lockhart, much to his utter lack of agreement to say the least.

He dared her with his eyes to object. She turned red. He would probably disarm her and cast that frizzy hair jinx he had threatened her for years with, but said she hardly needed.

Aurora looked at me morosely.

"Is this ok?" She looked relieved. Snape scared the crap out of her.

I was now steaming, forgetting for a moment what had happened. He always got a rise out of me. I was more pissed to be told I _had_ to talk to him, than fearful now. That he had tried to tell us what to do. I nodded grudgingly. "Go. I will meet you outside shortly." I eyed Snape viciously to reinforce this fact.

"Sorry", she mouthed and exited quickly.

We watched her go and then Snape turned to me and eyed me squarely.

He said nothing.

So I said nothing.

My arms were crossed against my chest. I raised an eyebrow as if anticipating he would say something that I would have to retaliate against.

It didn't come.

The anger wore off.

I began to remember what had happened with the paper and felt a slight unease.

It grew. I was a fighter. The longer the bastard said nothing, the worse it became.

I began to grow anxious. He still would not speak. He just stared at me in stony silence.

Now I was really unnerved.

I stared back at him some more. My crossed arms had dropped. My head pounded. I knew if Rita Skeeter were present, I would give her a piece of her mind. But now, to the task at hand…

He continued to stare with his cold black calculating eyes. And then his mouth opened and he spoke.

But he threw me for a loop. I had _not_ expected this:

"So, Vector, how was your day?"

"Er, ok, I guess. Like any other." I felt my face grow shockingly pink.

"Was it really?" He drawled innocently. "As was mine until I read the Prophet," his lip twisted into a smirk.

My eyes darted to a chipped mirror. I had turned white, pale, and deadly white.

I was about to blurt out something, I can no longer remember, when he raised a hand to stop me.

"Shush,"he held a finger to his lips. "Let me tell you about my day first. But not within anyone's hearing." He gestured to a small area further away from the corner of the bar, farther back, even more in shadow, where a little foyer led off to the bathrooms.

I was so taken aback. He gently took hold of a piece of my blue cloak and steered me away with him. He looked around and continued. I prayed to Merlin that he would release his dastardly hold on my cloak. He did.

"I, as a matter of fact, had a very informative day, as you can imagine. I learned things I was not aware of. I even learned things about myself that I was not aware of. Which in any other case, one would say would be productive. Wouldn't you agree?" He spoke in a low, but firm voice, and his gaze pierced mine.

"Er, yes, I mean no….I didn't."

"Wait your turn. Anyway, I had a few minutes of leisure time and proceeded to read the Prophet. Prior to this I had noticed my students and some former students laughing and looking at me from time to time, laboring under delusions that I hadn't noticed. I watch everything around me very carefully, as you very well know and as they know, or most do. I perceived something to be out of sorts today, not quite right, because some were very brave, very blatant about it. But I did not know what it was. So I then turned a page in the Prophet and saw something alarming." He continued in a matter of fact tone, but the iciness and sarcasm was sickly sweet.

"Some grammatical errors?" I deadpanned." Did your quill with the red ink nearly burst due to the audacity?" I spat undeterred.

"Hardly, Vector. I saw what I believed to be an article on a hag until I kept reading and saw that you were identified by Ms. Skeeter. Interesting article….interesting interview one might say."

"I did not…I barely spoke to her…you of all people should know." I blurted out, hardly containing myself.

"Tut tut…be patient. I have not nearly begun to question you yet…..so I keep reading and what do I see? A_pparently_ I am in a _relationship…" _ And a blow to the stomach or being hexed by a quite nasty curse would have been better than the stress and elongation he put on his pronunciation of "relationship." And the odd look he gave me was just as bad.

"With a hag!" I finished for him, and I threw up my hands in mortal embarrassment and anger. I wasn't sure if I wanted to be more angry at him for taunting me or for Rita causing it all. He seemed to think I had said something.

"Regrettably yes. Very enlightening…and now you need to explain yourself. And so do I. But not within hearing." He inclined his head to a back door.

"What? What?"

"Outside…now." He pointed to the door.

"No. I am not going anywhere with _you."_

"Vector. I am not asking. I am counting to ten, and if you do not agree, I will hex you…lightly. I rather do wish you would just come quietly."

"Are you mad? I said no. I will not be seen with you. And I will not speak to you alone either."

And then they saw a door in the front swoosh open and several women swoon. In a flurry of light purple, Gilderoy Lockhart had entered and made a rather grand entrance.

"Fine. After you." I gritted my teeth. I didn't want to be seen with Snape, but definitely not by Lockhart hurried out the door. He spun around on his heel and moved closer to where I was huddled by a brick façade, thanking Merlin that Lockhart hadn't seen us.

"You know," he watched me carefully. I don't think I want to hear it. You will just lie and say you told her nothing anyway." He shook his head predicitably.

"I did…I mean, I didn't tell her anything…and I am not lying….about, er, _that."_

The back door had a glass window. He was speaking to me and watching in case Lockhart came through the door. One never knew what he would do.

"Let me make myself quite clear…I have no interest in anyone…."

"Yes, great. We know that. You hate everyone. Surprise…." I threw up my hands.

"Be that as it may. I am going to leave now. But before I do, let me give you some advice." He took a step closer to me and I didn't move. I was too taken aback.

"That being…" I gulped.

"Coercion, Vector, is a tricky thing. One should never attempt it without practice. Letting it as they say, out of the bag, and attempting to force my hand into entering a relationship with you is in very poor taste. That is all. "

"What… WHAT? Why….you bloody moron…You actually think…." My eyes felt like they were going to roll out of my head from the shock.

"Good bye, Vector. Try your nonsense on someone else. The squib might work, I mean, Lockhart. And now I will have to clean up the mess. A shame your little scheme backfired." He shook his head in disbelief, clicked his tongue against his teeth and made an annoying sound, and turned and apparated.

My mouth formed an "o" in shock. But my mind and body was actually in it. As soon as I "unlocked" I would try to make it outside to Aurora.


	5. Chapter 5: A Sneaking Suspicion

**Making Hogwarts Headlines**

**Chapter 5: A Sneaking Suspicion**

But when I left, Aurora was nowhere to be found. I guessed that she'd been scared witless by Snape, and the severe misunderstanding that had occurred, or maybe she was following Lockhart.

I went back to Hogwarts alone.

_**The next day…**_

It was the morning from hell. The staff stared and goggled and gossiped surely about the supposed relationship I was in with Snape. I avoided everyone and their eyes as best I could. Students were pointing at me and laughing their asses off.

I wanted to die, to cry and then, really, to die.

I was mortified. I would have preferred the rumor to be about me and Flich. No, wait, no never that either…

The funny thing is that Snape was not at breakfast, and funnily enough not at lunch in the Great Hall either. And he was absent at dinner too.

Oh, well, Dumbledore wasn't present either at dinner. Staff members miss. I could be lucky and he resigned, or lucky that he was maybe ill and I would have a respite of a day or two so this rumor thing could die down.

But it was not to be.

I went back to my rooms to get ready for bed and to prepare some things for my Arithmancy classes the next day. Then I heard a sharp knock at the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me Aurora. Are you up?"

"Yes." As if I could sleep. Another round of pointing and staring and such, surely was in order the next day.

"Can I come in? I need to see you."

"Sure." I opened the door.

Aurora burst in. "Do you have tea.?"

"Yes. Give me a second and sit down. What is so urgent?"

"Tea first," she implored, and did not make eye contact with me. I knew my friend. It was never a good sign.

I grabbed my wand and conjured a fire. Aurora shot up out of her seat, grabbed lemon, sugar, and a cup, and sat back down.

"The tea, Aurora….and the water."

"Oh, right."

I brought the hot water over when it was ready and provided loose tea and strainers.

She took a few sips and a deep breath and began.

"I am sorry about what I told you earlier today."

"What did you tell me?"

"Well, some of it was the truth. I had gone looking for Lockhart. I figured once Snape started a speech with you, and he didn't want me there, it would take some time."

"Ok, true."

"I er, said this morning that nothing much happened and that I went home."

"Yes, you did."

"Well, I had heard he went somewhere else. And he did. But he was around a bunch of pushy, really pushy witches so I didn't get to say hi."

"Shame really….and…"

"Well, Severus Snape was there too. But he was sitting with two other men in the back. Probably Death Eaters; I didn't recognize them."

"Surely, Order business."

"Are we ever sure?"

We all had to trust him. It was more his mocking tone and driving me insane that caused me sleepless nights. If the Dark Lord wanted a fool that called a woman a hag and spent exorbitant amounts of money on blood lollipops and cockroach clusters to prove a point.

Well, then the Dark Lord could have him. I said nothing to Aurora.

"It must have been after he left you. He finished with the….well, really, the men left. And he looked about ready to leave but then he spotted me. I was waiting around for Lockhart in case the witches got up from their seats but it never happened…"

"Well, what is it?'

"I knew…I knew he wouldn't be at breakfast."

"Surely, a late night. You both were still out. It was late already when I left."

"I also knew about lunch and dinner…I didn't want to talk to you about it well, for really, three times in the Great Hall."

"Talk about what?"

"He is, er avoiding you. Today, anyway."

"What? He is avoiding me? I spend half my life avoiding him."

Sinistra nodded.

"Well, he said that what you did was unconscionable. And pathetic."

"Oh, he did? Well, it didn't do anything. It was all Rita. Why doesn't he tell her then?"

"It was your interview. His words, not mine."

"Yes, it was. But I barely said anything in it. So not much of an interview, more like a fictional piece."

"He made it very clear to me that despite what all or most of the wizarding world had read, or now heard, the two of you are not and never had been in a relationship. As if I thought that…"

"Oh."

"And he would rather die than take up with a dunderhead such as yourself. That he couldn't believe you would resort to such cheap and desperate tactics ,uh, to get his attention…"

"WHAT?"

That you have a very vivid imagination, among your many other faults, and to keep him out of your fantasy life; the though of which makes him cringe."

"I will kill him…as if this article wasn't bad enough."

"Oh, there is more."

"What is it?"

"The next one comes out tomorrow."

"The next what?"

"Part 2 of Professor Vector, by Rita Skeeter."

"Oh, dear Merlin ….so soon?

"He has a friend, not really, someone he knows and probably coerced that works at the paper and found out that it is a four-parter."

"Oh, no, two more after that then? He is going to kill me, for whatever that fiend of a woman writes."

"Exactly my concern. And that is why I came to see you. "

"Rora,"

"Yes."

"Will you sleep on my couch tonight? I don't want to wake up alone. It always comes early in the morning and I think I need…"

"The support. Sure I will . I am sure you, er, do"

"And then we can floo over to your place and pick up your stuff and go to breakfast together."

"Sure. He can't kill both of us at the same time in the Great hall. The Headmaster missed dinner. He should be there at breakfast. I would think he would step in. The only astronomer and artihmancer…and hell, Snape wouldn't want to mentor ever again so…"

"Sprout, McGonagall, they like me. Flitwick would never allow him. He is dueling champ and all. Snape would never stand a chance. If Hagrid grabbed him in a chokehold he'd…"

"Ah, not after what I saw."

"What did you see?"

"He had to go somewhere else. Must have been in a hurry. He turned from me and went down an alley of the pub. The pub has a side door. I er, went back in to look out the window nearby. He turned into a black smoke and well, he er, floated off."

"Oh, that thing. I have seen that before. That is like his er, Death Eater apparition thingie he does. That's about it."

"Well, I have never seen it. Dark arts crap. Scary."

"He is a scary man."

"Ever scarier if that article mentions the two of you are in some sort of a relationship again."

_**The day after that…**_

So I entered the dungeons and he was teaching. I waited by the door. He didn't see me. I knocked. He did see me. He ignored me. I cleared my throat one, twice, and then loudly. He looked at me and went back to his lecture.

"Professor Snape, might I have a word for a moment."

And then I regretted it instantaneously. There was a resounding chorus of "OOOOHHHHHH"S," kissy noises, clapping, cat calls, wolf whistles, and "Yeah, Snape.".

He turned around on his heel so fast I thought he was about to apparate out of there as fast as he could, as I wished I could too.

"Silence," he yelled and the room went dead silent.

He walked over further to me, and stopped where I was at the door of his classroom.

"The article…." I croaked out.

"Which one? And before you lie that you had nothing to do with it, might I inform you that I was on Order business and I literally just walked into Hogwarts to make this class in time." His voice was lower than usual so the students wouldn't hear.

I could see it was the truth. He looked paler, exhausted, and his eyes look tired.

"So that means…"

"I didn't read it. Yet." The bell rang.

"Oh, no. Oh, I will go then. You probably have another class." I wasn't about to break it to him.

"Oh, no, you will stay. I am free now, as are you. Sleep can wait for me, it usually does."

"Right. You have memorized my schedule, of course." I made a face of annoyance.

"I might say the same for you. You are enamored with me after all." And I received the smirk and the raised eyebrow.

"I am _no_t. Like I have nothing better to do…." I puffed in horror.

"You will stay here. You started it all, and you can fill me in on what it says. My copy of the Prophet is probably still at my table in the Great Hall where I failed to show for breakfast. Or the extra copy I receive is currently sitting on the desk in my rooms."

"I would rather you read on your own time what that harpy has concocted," I roared. And the voice that came out surprised me too. Well, he had that effect on me.

"Why would I do that, when I have a harpy presently that can tell me what it says without delay?"

I made a face of disgust at him. He ignored it.

"Follow me, Vector.:

I followed him out of his classroom and into his adjoining office. He locked the door.

"Oh, great. Just what we need now… feed the fire why don't you? An entire class saw us _togethe_r and now the door to the classroom and office is locked. Lovely. Great. Just great. There are advisory hours too. What if a 6th or 7th year has to see you?'

"It surely can't be as bad as what is in that article. So, come out with it. You should know from memory." His eyes fixed on mine.

"Sure, stuff I didn't make up…. fresh in my mind."

"You would know. Out with it."

"She said…" I started, my throat dry.

"Meaning you, drop the pretense, Vector." He seemed impatient.

"She said…."

"Yes….." I didn't like that he was hanging on my words, and paying very close attention in a very annoying way.

"That we have secretly been together since you started mentoring me." I blurted out. It was painful and hellishly embarrassing.

"And…"

"That I said I was mad for you…"

"Well, you are mad….in general." I think the bastard was trying not to laugh.

"And that I worry about your…reputation. You know, I think she meant the Death Eater stuff and…"

"I don't have one…continue," he cut me off. Guess the Dark Lord discussion was off the table for now.

"We are secretly planning on marrying soon." I said it. I looked away. I could feel myself blush 100 shades of pink. I was mortified. "Meaning…there is an engagement, but we haven't told anyone. Only certain people were told and she can't reveal her sources."

"Meaning… you and that dunderhead, Sinistra."

"No, that can be fact checked. Aurora never met with her."

"Fine then, so you are the sole source of this?"His voice was getting lower, wispy, and more severe.

"No. She barely asked me anything. She snuck up in my office one day and I tried to be polite. I am a professor. I can't hex her out of my office. I am, er, not you."

"Why not say no comment and call for Dumbledore" He lifted his hands up and shrugged, and then crossed them over his chest, still in interrogation mode. He was good. He probably learned his stuff as the Dark Lord's stunt dog for years. It didn't make me fell any better.

"Why, I never thought of that?" And I could kick myself for saying it.

"Why would you? You had to let the delusions you have been harboring "out of the bag," as they say."

"You are mad. I would never. And with you? Please." I scoffed primly, and looked away.

"Denial is…" he trailed slowly.

"It is _not_ denial."

"I have to ask myself, Vector, what you hoped to gain from this. How anyone can believe this and they do…with my hours and work…."

"And that you shun all friendship and human contact. Yeah, you have a point there."

"I must admit. I am not surprised, perhaps."

"You are not? I sure as hell am. Shocked as all…"

"Careful. I have had enough of your foul language spurts to last a lifetime. If you had learned to hold your tongue in the first place none of this would be happening. So, I see that I have to deny that we are involved, that I am your boyfriend, and that there is a pending marriage announcement. As if I don't have enough work." He rolled his eyes.

"Well, I can fix it. And I will." I gave him my most determined look.

"How? Never mind how, but there is a catch."

"That being." I could feel the trap closing over me.

"Quite simple. You will owe me."


End file.
